Floor cleaning apparatus with wireless control interface

ABSTRACT

A floor cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel are carried on one of these assemblies. A control handle with a user interface is carried on the canister assembly. A transmitter is carried on the control handle and a receiver, remote from the transmitter, is carried on either the nozzle assembly or canister assembly.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/615,781 filed on 4 Oct. 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a floor cleaning apparatus equipped with a wireless control interface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Upright vacuum cleaners have become increasingly popular over recent years. An upright vacuum cleaner may be generally described as comprising a canister assembly that is pivotally connected to a nozzle assembly. The canister assembly includes an operating handle that is manipulated by the operator to move the vacuum cleaner back and forth across the floor during the cleaning operation. The canister assembly also includes a dirt collection vessel, in the form of a dirt cup or filter bag that traps dirt and debris. A suction generator, in the form of a motor driven fan, is provided on either the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. It is this suction generator that provides the drop in air pressure necessary to produce the desired cleaning action.

The nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet through which dirt and debris is drawn into the vacuum cleaner by the suction generator. In order to provide more effective cleaning of the nap of rugs and carpets, most upright vacuum cleaners are also equipped with a rotary agitator. The rotary agitator is carried on the nozzle assembly and usually extends substantially across the full width of the suction inlet. During vacuum cleaner operation the rotary agitator beats dirt and debris from the nap of the underlying carpet. That dirt and debris is then drawn in an airstream through the suction inlet into the vacuum cleaner by the suction generator. The dirt and debris becomes entrapped in the dirt collection vessel and the suction generator then moves the clean air through the motor to provide cooling before exhausting that air back into the environment.

In order to provide for convenient operation of the upright vacuum cleaner, it has been found desirable to provide a user interface such as a series of buttons or control switches at the end of the operating handle near the hand grip. In the past these buttons or switches have been hardwired to the control circuit board (e.g. CPU) and the various electrical components of the vacuum cleaner including, for example, the suction generator motor, the agitator drive motor if present in the particular model, and the vacuum cleaner propulsion motor if present in the particular model. In order to provide an aesthetically pleasing design it has also been found desirable to taper the control handle. This limits the interior space available for the routing of the hardwiring from the control buttons and switches to the other electrical components of the vacuum cleaner. As a consequence, routing of the hardwiring has become quite complicated and the necessary space for hardwiring has often limited the aesthetic designs that may be applied to the control handle. The present invention addresses and solves these problems by providing a wireless connection between the control buttons or switches and the remaining electrical components of the vacuum cleaner. Where the vacuum cleaner incorporates a removable control handle and wand assembly, the wireless control interface further eliminates the need to provide control hardwiring from the switches and buttons on the control handle through the flexible hose to the remaining electrical components provided in the main vacuum cleaner housing. Accordingly, the present invention represents a significant advance in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention, an upright vacuum cleaner is provided comprising a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly pivotally connected to that nozzle assembly. The vacuum cleaner further includes a suction generator carried on one of the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly. Similarly, a dirt collection vessel is also carried on one of the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly. Further the vacuum cleaner includes a control handle with user interface carried on the canister assembly. A transmitter is carried on the control handle and a receiver and controller, remote from the transmitter, are carried on one of the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly.

More specifically describing the invention, the nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet. In addition a rotary agitator may be carried on the nozzle assembly adjacent the suction inlet. The rotary agitator functions to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned.

The dirt collection vessel may take the form of a porous filter bag or alternatively a dirt cup. In one possible embodiment that dirt cup includes a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet so as to provide cyclonic airflow and the airstream cleaning benefits associated therewith. Still further a first filter may be provided in that dirt cup. In addition a second filter may be provided downstream from the suction generator.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a floor cleaning apparatus is provided. The floor cleaning apparatus comprises a housing and both a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel carried on the housing. In addition the floor cleaning apparatus includes a handle that is displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein the handle is carried on the housing and a second, remote cleaning position wherein the handle is removed from the housing. A control actuator is carried on the handle. A transmitter is carried on the handle and operatively connected to the control actuator. A receiver responsive to the transmitter is carried on the housing.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an upright vacuum cleaner is provided. The upright vacuum cleaner comprises a nozzle assembly including a suction inlet and a canister assembly pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. A suction generator is carried on either of the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. Similarly, a dirt collection vessel is carried on either the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly.

The upright vacuum cleaner further includes a handle that is displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein the handle is carried on one of the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly and a second, remote cleaning position wherein the handle is removed from the nozzle assembly or canister assembly. A control actuator is carried on the handle. A transmitter is carried on the handle and operatively connected to the control actuator. Further a receiver responsive to the transmitter is carried on one of the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly. Together the control actuator, transmitter and receiver function as a wireless control interface for the vacuum cleaner.

More specifically describing the invention, the vacuum cleaner includes at least one rotary agitator mounted for rotation relative to the nozzle assembly in the suction inlet. The dirt collection vessel may take the form of a porous filter bag or a dirt cup. In one possible embodiment that dirt cup includes a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet so as to provide cyclonic airflow. A first filter may be provided in the dirt cup. In one possible embodiment the suction generator is provided downstream from the dirt cup and a second filter is provided downstream from the suction generator.

In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration, of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of this specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the wand assembly withdrawn from the canister assembly to allow for above floor cleaning;

FIG. 3 illustrates a dirt cup of cylindrical construction including a tangentially directed inlet and a centrally located filter so as to provide for cyclonic airflow; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic illustrations of two possible embodiments of the wireless control interface provided on the floor cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner 10 including a housing comprising both a nozzle assembly 12 and a canister assembly 14. The canister assembly 14 is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly 12. The upright vacuum cleaner 10 rides over the floor surface being cleaned on wheels 15 carried on the housing.

The nozzle assembly 12 includes a suction inlet 16. A rotary agitator 18 carried on the nozzle assembly 12 is mounted in the suction inlet 16. The rotary agitator 18 includes bristle tufts 20, brushes, wipers or the like to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned as the agitator 18 is rotated at high speeds with respect to that carpet and the nozzle assembly 12.

The canister assembly 14 includes a dirt collection vessel 22 housed in an internal cavity 23. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the dirt collection vessel 22 is a filter bag of permeable filter material adapted to entrap dirt and debris while allowing the passage of clean air through the bag. In an alternative embodiment the dirt collection vessel 22 may take the form of a dirt cup 24. As illustrated in FIG. 3, such a dirt cup 24 may include a cylindrical dirt collection chamber 26 having a tangentially directed inlet 26 and an axial outlet 28. Such an arrangement promotes cyclonic airflow in the chamber 26 which efficiently removes dirt and debris from the airstream in a manner well known in the art. A filter 30 may be concentrically mounted within the dirt collection chamber 26 over the outlet 28. Such a filter 30 strips any remaining fine dirt and debris from the airstream as it moves through the filter toward the outlet 28.

The canister assembly 14 also includes a telescopic wand assembly generally designated by reference numeral 32. The wand assembly 32 includes first and second telescopic wand sections 34, 36. The second wand section 36 is telescopingly received in the first wand section 34. The wand sections 34 and 36 are connected together by a wand lock, generally designated by reference numeral 38, that is carried on the end of the section 34. A control handle 40 having a hand grip 42 is provided at the end of the first wand section 34 opposite the wand lock 38. The end of the second wand section 36 opposite the wand lock 38 is received in a connector 44 mounted to the rear of the canister assembly 14. A flexible hose 46 extends from the control handle 40 to the inlet 48 connected to the dirt collection vessel 22.

During standard floor cleaning operation, the rotary agitator 18 scrubs and beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. A suction generator 50 carried on the housing draws air entrained with that dirt and debris through the suction inlet 16, the connector 44, the wand section 36, the wand section 34, the control handle 40, the hose 46 and the inlet 48 into the dirt collection vessel 22. The dirt and debris is captured in the vessel 22 while relatively clean air is drawn over the motor of the suction generator 50 in order to provide cooling. That air is then exhausted through a final filter 53 and returned to the environment through an exhaust port 54.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 the wand assembly 32 includes a distal end that is removable from the canister assembly 14 to allow manipulation and specialty cleaning. More specifically, the distal end of the wand section 36 is removable from the connector 44. The telescopic sections 34, 36 of the wand assembly 24 may then be retracted or extended as desired to produce a wand of desired length. The wand assembly 32 is then manipulated by the operator through the control handle 40. In this mode of operation air including dirt and debris is drawn into the open distal end of the wand assembly 32. That air then travels through the wand section 36, the wand section 34, the control handle 40, the hose 46 and the inlet 48 into the dirt collection vessel 22. There the dirt becomes trapped and clean air then passes over the motor of the suction generator 50 before being exhausted through the final filter 52 and exhaust port 54 into the environment.

The operation of the suction generator 50 and rotary agitator 18 are controlled by the operator through manipulation of the control actuator or user interface 60 provided on the control hand grip 42. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the control actuator 60 is connected to a transmitter 62 through a control line 63. The user selected control setting is transmitted (see action arrow A) by the transmitter 62 to one or more remote receivers 64 provided in the nozzle assembly 12 and/or the canister assembly 14. The receiver 64 is connected to the controller/CPU 66 of the vacuum cleaner 10 through the signal line 68. Thus, the user selected setting information signal is passed from the receiver 64 to the controller 66 along the line 68. The controller 66 then sends control signals to the motor 80 of the suction generator 50, the motor 82 of the rotary agitator 18 and/or the self propulsion motor 84 so that both operate in accordance with the user selected settings.

In summary, numerous benefits result from employing the concepts of the present invention. By eliminating the need for hard wiring between the user interface 60 in the control hand grip 42 and the CPU 66, there is no need to provide this wiring in the flexible hose 36, thereby reducing hose production costs. Further, there is no longer any need to accommodate such wiring in the control handle 40 and, accordingly, no associated limits are placed upon aesthetic handle design.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. For example, while an upright vacuum cleaner is illustrated in the drawing figures, the invention broadly encompasses other floor cleaning apparatus such as, for example, extractors. Further, while only one agitator is illustrated in the drawing figures, the vacuum cleaner could include multiple agitators or even none at all. Further, for single motor units, the CPU 66 sends a control signal that operates a transmission or pto drive thereby allowing interruption of the drive to the agitator while allowing that same motor to continue driving the suction fan.

An additional alternative embodiment is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5. This embodiment includes two receivers 64 and CPUs 66 with one of each positioned in the canister assembly 14 and in the nozzle assembly 12.

The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way. 

1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising: a nozzle assembly; a canister assembly pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly; a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly; a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly; a control handle with a user interface carried on said canister assembly; a transmitter carried on said control handle; and a receiver and controller, remote from said transmitter, carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly.
 2. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet.
 3. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further including a rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.
 4. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a porous filter bag.
 5. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.
 6. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein said dirt cup includes a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet.
 7. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein a first filter is provided in said dirt cup.
 8. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein a second filter is provided downstream from said suction generator.
 9. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said receiver is carried on said nozzle assembly and a second receiver is carried on said canister assembly.
 10. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein said controller is carried on said nozzle assembly and a second controller is carried on said canister assembly.
 11. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein said suction generator includes a first motor and a second motor drives said rotary agitator.
 12. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein a third motor provides propulsion to said upright vacuum cleaner.
 13. A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising: a housing; a suction generator carried on said housing; a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing; a handle displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein said handle is carried on said housing and a second, remote cleaning position wherein said handle is removed from said housing; a control actuator carried on said handle; a transmitter carried on said handle and operatively connected to said control actuator; and a receiver responsive to said transmitter and carried on said housing.
 14. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a nozzle assembly including a suction inlet; a canister assembly connected to said nozzle assembly; a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly; a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly; a handle displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein said handle is carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly and a second, remote cleaning position wherein said handle is removed from said one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly; a control actuator carried on said handle; a transmitter carried on said handle and operatively connected to said control actuator; and a receiver responsive to said transmitter and carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly.
 15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14 further including at least one rotary agitator mounted for rotation relative to said nozzle assembly in said suction inlet.
 16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a porous filter bag.
 17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.
 18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein said dirt cup includes a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet.
 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein a first filter is provided in said dirt cup.
 20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein said suction generator is provided downstream from said dirt cup.
 21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein a second filter is provided downstream from said suction generator. 